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Sickle Cell Disease |
1 Department of Hematology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam
2 Department of Internal Medicine, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam
3 Department of Clinical Chemistry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam
4 Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam
5 Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Correspondence: Bart J. Biemond, Department of Haematology, F4-224, Academic Medical Center PO box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail:b.j.biemond{at}amc.uva.nl
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Design and Methods: In the present study, we analyzed the origin of circulating microparticles and their procoagulant phenotype during painful crises and steady state in 25 consecutive patients with sickle cell disease.
Results: The majority of microparticles originated from platelets (GPIIIa,CD61) and erythrocytes (glycophorin A,CD235), and their numbers did not differ significantly between crisis and steady state. Erythrocyte-derived microparticles strongly correlated with plasma levels of markers of hemolysis, i.e. hemoglobin (r=–0.58, p<0.001) and lactate dehydrogenase (r=0.59, p<0.001), von Willebrand factor as a marker of platelet/endothelial activation (r=0.44, p<0.001), and D-dimer and prothrombin fragment F1+2 (r=0.52, p<0.001 and r=0.59, p<0.001, respectively) as markers of fibrinolysis and coagulation activation. Thrombin generation depended on the total number of microparticles (r=0.63, p<0.001). Anti-human factor XI inhibited thrombin generation by about 50% (p<0.001), whereas anti-human factor VII was ineffective (p>0.05). The extent of factor XI inhibition was associated with erythrocyte-derived microparticles (r=0.50, p=0.023).
Conclusions: We conclude that the procoagulant state in sickle cell disease is partially explained by the factor XI-dependent procoagulant properties of circulating erythrocyte-derived microparticles.
Key words: microparticles, sickle cell disease, coagulation activation, hemolysis.
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Previous observations also suggested a possible contribution of circulating cell-derived microparticles to the hypercoagulable state in SCD.6 Microparticles are small membrane vesicles released from cells by budding upon activation or during apoptosis; microparticles in the blood can originate from platelets, erythrocytes, leukocytes and endothelial cells.7 Elevated numbers of circulating microparticles have been reported in patients suffering from a variety of diseases with vascular involvement and hypercoagulability, including SCD.8–14 The exact mechanism by which circulating microparticles trigger coagulation in SCD does, however, remain unclear. The majority of circulating microparticles in SCD originate from erythrocytes and platelets and may support coagulation activation by exposure of phosphatidylserine to facilitate complex formation between coagulation factors in the coagulation activation cascade; an increased exposure of tissue factor has been demonstrated on monocyte-derived microparticles.8,15 A more thorough understanding of the mechanism by which circulating microparticles affect coagulation and endothelial activation might be helpful in the development of new therapies in SCD.
In the present study, we established the cellular origin of circulating microparticles in patients with SCD during painful crises and during steady-state disease, and explored the relation of these microparticles with coagulation, fibrinolysis and endothelial activation.
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Collection of blood samples
Blood samples were taken from the antecubital vein without a tourniquet through a 19-gauge needle with a Vacutainer system. Blood was collected into a 4.5 mL tube containing 0.105 M buffered sodium citrate (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA, USA). Within 15 min after collection, cells were removed by centrifugation (20 min at 1550 x g at 20°C) to prevent platelet disappearance and concurrent formation of platelet-derived microparticles. Platelet-poor plasma prepared this way is practically free of leukocytes and erythrocytes, and contains about 1% of the original number of platelets. Whether these remaining platelets are indeed small platelets, large platelet-derived microparticles or a mixture thereof does, however, remain a matter of debate. Their number increases about two-fold after freeze-thawing, which we checked in samples from several patients in the present study. Plasma aliquots of 0.25 mL were immediately snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at –80°C.
Reagents and assays
Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled IgG1, phycoerythrin (PE)-labeled IgG1, CD20-PE, CD14-PE and CD71-PE were obtained from Becton Dickinson (San Jose, CA, USA), IgG2b-PE from Immuno Quality Products (Groningen, The Netherlands), CD61-FITC from Pharmingen (San Jose, CA, USA), CD54-PE and CD62P-PE from Beckman Coulter Inc. (Fullerton, CA, USA), CD62E-PE from Ancell Corporation (Bayport, MN, USA), CD106-FITC from Calbiochem (Gibbstown, NJ, USA), CD142 (tissue factor)-FITC from American Diagnostica Inc. (Stamford, CT, USA), CD144-FITC from Alexis Biochemicals (San Diego, CA, USA) and (anti-)glycophorin A (CD235) from DAKO (Glostrup, Denmark). Finally, allophycocyanin (APC)-conjugated annexin V was purchased from Caltag (Burlingame, CA, USA). Anti-factor VII, anti-factor XI and anti-tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) were obtained from Sanquin (Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Assays were performed as described by the manufacturer (Parameter human sP-Selectin Immunoassay by R&D Systems; Minneapolis, MN, USA). Platelet counts were determined with a Cell-Dyn 4000 (Abbott Diagnostics Division; Abbott Laboratories; Hoofddorp, The Netherlands). Markers of coagulation activation, fibrinolysis and endothelial activation [prothrombin fragment F1+2 (F1+2) Enzygnost, Dade Behring, Marburg, Germany; von Willebrand factor (VWF-Ag) antibodies from DAKO, Glostrup, Denmark; D-dimer; Assera-chrom D-Di, Roche, Almere, The Netherlands] were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Isolation of microparticles
A sample of 250 µL of frozen plasma was thawed on melting ice for 1 h and centrifuged for 30 min at 18,890 x g and 20°C to pellet the microparticles. After centrifugation, 225 µL of the supernatant were removed. The pellet and remaining supernatant were resuspended in 225 µL phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing citrate (154 mmol/L NaCl, 1.4 mmol/L phosphate, 10.9 mmol/L trisodium citrate, pH 7.4). After centrifugation for 30 min at 18,890 x g and 20°C, 225 µL of the supernatant were removed again. The microparticle pellet was then resuspended with 75 µL PBS-citrate.
Flowcytometry
Five microliters of the microparticle suspension was diluted in 35 µL CaCl2 (2.5 mmol/L)-containing PBS. Then 5 µL APC-labeled annexin V were added to all tubes plus 5 µL of the cell-specific monoclonal antibody or isotype-matched control antibodies (total volume: 55 µL). The samples were incubated in the dark for 15 min at room temperature. After incubation, 900 µL of calcium-containing PBS were added to all tubes (except to the annexin V control, to which 900 µL of citrate-containing PBS were added). Samples were analyzed for 1 min in a fluorescence automated cell sorter (FACS Calibur) with CellQuest software (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA, USA). Both forward scatter (FSC) and sideward scatter (SSC) were set at logarithmic gain. The numbers of microparticles per milliliter were estimated as follows:
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Microparticles were identified on the basis of their size and density and on their ability to bind cell-type specific CD antibodies and annexin V.7 The gate settings were confirmed using beads of up to 1.0 µm. Background signal accounted for 3–5% of the total signal in a typical experiment. Annexin V measurements were corrected for auto-fluorescence. Labeling with cell-specific monoclonal antibodies was corrected for identical concentrations of isotype-matched control antibodies by subtracting the amount of isotype-matched positive events from the total positive events.13 The within-run and day-to-day coefficients of variation of the microparticle assay are 8% and 13%, respectively.
Thrombin generation
The thrombin generation test was used as described previously.17 Briefly, microparticles were reconstituted in defibrinated (reptilase-treated) normal pool (microparticle-free) plasma. For the inhibition experiments, the defibrinated plasma and the microparticles were incubated separately for 30 min at room temperature with 20 and 5 µL of antibodies against coagulation factors VII or XI, or TFPI, respectively. Anti-factor VII was used to inhibit the extrinsic pathway and anti-factor XI to inhibit the intrinsic pathway and the factor XI-dependent amplification loop. Plasma and microparticles were pooled after preincubation and incubated for an additional 10 min at 37°C. Thrombin generation was started (t=0) by addition of 30 µL CaCl2 (16.7 mmol/L final concentration). At fixed intervals, 3 µL-aliquots were removed and added to 147 µL pre-warmed chromogenic substrate Pefachrome TH-5114 (Pentapharm, Basel, Switzerland, final concentration 0.215 mmol/L) to measure the concentration of free thrombin. After 3 min, 90 µL of 1 mol/L citric acid were added to stop the conversion of Pefachrome TH-5114. The amount of p-nitroaniline generated was determined at
= 405 nm with a Spectramax microplate reader (Molecular Devices, Union City, CA, USA). For quantitative analysis, the results are expressed as the area under the thrombin generation curve (AUC), calculated for the time interval between 0 and 15 min after addition of CaCl2.
Statistics
Continuous data are expressed as medians with corresponding inter-quartile ranges. Between group differences were tested with the Mann-Whitney U test or Wilcoxons rank test in the case of paired analyses. Categorical data are presented as percentages or numbers. Differences between groups of categorical data were tested with the
2 test. For correlation studies, Spearmans rank correlation coefficient was determined. To analyze data for possible confounding by multiple testing errors, correlations were also analyzed in mixed models with the patient as subjects. Furthermore, to explore any effect of genotype on the correlation studies, multivariate analyses were performed using both linear and mixed models including specific genotype groups (HbSS, HbSβ0/+-thalassemia or HbSC) as factors.
Healthy controls were not included in the correlation studies and the mixed models. p values of 0.05 or less were considered statistically significant. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 12.0.2 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA).
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Table 1. Patients characteristics.
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Table 2. Microparticle numbers during painful crises, in baseline conditions and in healthy controls.
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Table 3. Correlations between blood parameters, markers of blood activation and numbers of microparticles.
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Table 4. Markers of coagulation activation during painful crises and in baseline conditions.
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Figure 1. Correlations between glycophorin A+ microparticles (GlycoA+ MPs) and blood parameters. Correlations between glycophorin A+ microparticles and markers of in vivo endothelial activation (vWF-Ag), fibrinolysis (D-dimer), and coagulation activation (F1+2). Y- and X-axes are logarithmic. **p<0.005.
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AUC) between the experiments with and without factor XI antibody correlated with the absolute number of glycophorin A+ microparticles (r=0.55, p=0.002; Spearmans analyses, Figure 3).
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Figure 2. Thrombin generation. The gray (normal) bar shows the median (error bar: 75th quartile) of thrombin generation expressed as AUC after reconstitution of microparticles isolated from patients blood to defibrinated and microparticle-free normal pool plasma. The "aTFPI", "aXI" and the "aVII" bars show the effects of the indicated antibodies on microparticle-induced thrombin generation.
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Figure 3. The effect of glycophorin A+ microparticles (GlycoA+ MP) and anti-human factor XI on thrombin generation. Correlation between the total number of glycophorin A+ microparticles and the extent of inhibition of thrombin generation by anti-human factor XI (r=0.55 p=0.002). Y- and X-axes are logarithmic.
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While no correlation was observed between the total number of circulating microparticles and coagulation activation, erythrocyte-derived microparticles proved to be specifically related to in vivo coagulation, fibrinolysis and endothelial activation. These observations confirm those of previous studies of patients with thalassemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, pointing towards a direct relation between hemolytic anemia and hypercoagulability.3,21 Using ex vivo experiments with hemolysates others showed that erythrocyte-derived microparticles enhance coagulation activation.22 Furthermore, in splenectomized patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, erythrocyte-derived microparticles are correlated with shortening of activated partial thromboplastin time and increased factor XI activity.23 In SCD, Setty et al. had already demonstrated that only the number of phosphatidylserine-exposing erythrocytes correlated with in vivo markers of endothelial activation, fibrinolysis and coagulation activation, whereas this relation was absent with phosphatidylserine-exposing platelets.24 This discrepancy is probably explained by a qualitative difference in phosphatidylserine or other phospholipids between erythrocyte-derived microparticles and platelet-derived microparticles. Recently, it was shown that oxidized and unoxidized phospholipids have different effects on inhibition of coagulation.25 In our thrombin generation experiments, we observed an almost 50% reduction in thrombin generation by anti-human factor XI. Factor XI plays an important role in enhancing thrombin generation, since trace amounts of thrombin can activate factor XI to factor XIa, which then augments thrombin generation via the tenase complex.26 We, therefore, presume that the factor XI-mediated amplification occurs specifically by phosphatidylserine exposed on erythrocyte-derived microparticles.
Our present results do not exclude that small numbers of tissue factor-exposing microparticles are present in the plasma samples of SCD patients, since thrombin generation by isolated fractions of microparticles from these patients was enhanced when TFPI was blocked. Nevertheless, the amount of tissue factor present in such microparticles was insufficient to trigger tissue factor/VII-dependent coagulation activation in normal plasma, i.e. plasma containing physiological levels of TFPI. From our present study, we conclude that the procoagulant state in SCD is, at least in part, due to the procoagulant effects of circulating erythrocyte-derived microparticles. Their relation with activation of factor XI and the ability of anti-factor XI to block thrombin by microparticles isolated from plasma samples of SCD patients suggests an important role of factor XI-dependent thrombin generation in these patients.
EJB, RJB, FFD and MCLS performed experiments; EJB analyzed the results and produced the figures; RJB, BJB, MCLS, RN and EJB designed the research; BJB, RN and EJB wrote the paper; MCLS, RB, FFD, JCMM and AS critically reviewed the paper and interpreted of the data. The authors reported no potential conflicts of interests.
Received for publication March 19, 2009. Revision received June 1, 2009. Accepted for publication June 3, 2009.
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